Every year about this time I get poison ivey.
I try not to touch anything when I'm tromping through the woods but regardless of how careful I am I always get it, "scratch scratch". The leaves may be gone but that means absolutely nothing, "scratch scratch". The roots and stems are just as bad if not worse than the leaves. This year I have it on the back of my ankle just above the heel, of all places. I always wear boots, can't figure out how I got it there but it's there, also in other spots that are common but the back of my ankle below the boot line? I also get it on my forearms even though I always wear long sleeves.

The only consolation is feeling that irresistible, addictive "thump" or watching the bobber disappear. Poison Ivey is a small price to pay but it is so annoying. Guess there is always a down side to every good thing "scratch scratch".

Be careful when you are tromping through the woods. "scratch scracth" Poison Ivey is lurking. If you do get it there are products that will help. Zanfel is one and there is another scrub/wash that helps (can't remember the name) expensive but if it gets rid of the itch ......

Ahhh, the things we put up with just so we can catch crappie!

I've gotten into that stuff a time or two, it stinks!

Srub up with TecNu Extreme right when you get back. Not the regular TecNu. It's high dollar, but it works. Poison ivy is one of my sworn enemies for life, we have had many battles1

It STAYS on your shoes and clothes long after you walk in the woods.

I have NEVER had a reaction to poison ivy or poison oak! My dad used to say i could lay down and take a nap in the stuff and i wouldn't react to it!

But my youngest son, at the mere mention of the words, breaks out! Go figure!

Rudy

rubbing alcohol will help dry it out as well.

You are a fortunate man, especially with how much bank fishing you do. My oldest does not get it at all either, however in the summer months I sware I have been in the woods and touched absolutely nothing and I get it in places where I know I touched nothing. Now I know it can be transfered from clothing and boots etc. however I firmly believe I get it "airborne".
For a "creek rat" such as myself it is a curse.

WillieFindum here,
Boys, y'all got my sympathy. When I was about 6, one time I had it over 70% of my body and that was in the winter. Rudy, I was like your son, someone think about it and I had it.
Here is a remedy I discovered when I was about 16. Take TIDE or other laundry soap with Bleach (not the colorfast bleach). Make a paste, scratch the area, apply the paste and let it dry (do not cover). The paste does not burn or hurt when applied. I always found the rash gone the next day. I have also seen a solution of 50%water/50%bleach used. So I assume that the bleach is the key, affecting the protein in the sap. Both will dry out the skin where used.
For quick relief from the itching try this, Water as hot as you can stand and a scope of tide w/bleach, soak the affected part as long a possible. Most likely the heat denatures the protein along with the bleach.
I am lucky and outgrew it but I am still very careful.
papa peck, yes, it seems it can get air borne. It can also get on shoes/clothes as mention and can get on pets fur so there can be secondary contact/transfer.

I've never got it in the winter, but get it at least 2-3 times a year. I might this year though as I have renewed my faith in creek hoppin in the winter.

Robert, skip the middle man on all these home remedies, go see you DR. and get a shot and BIG giant tube of steroid cream. It does the trick and the cream will last you for at least 4-5 exposures. The itch will go away in no time.

My doc also told me that as you get older, if you are affected by it, you get it easier and usually have a worse case of it when you do get it. Kind of the opposite of building an immunity.

nothing works better than vodka always new that nasty stuff was goood for something.

I guess I'm just lucky. I have never been affected by that stuff. I once was bow hunting with a friend and he and I had to crawl through some poison ivy (no option). I never had one spot on me....and he went to the hospital for 5 days, with it on areas of his body that no one would want it on. Also if I remember correctly; Ernest and I got into some of that one year while creek fishing. I called him two days later and he couldn't even talk on the phone it was so bad. Yeap...I guess I'm just lucky

My wife is very sensative to it so I have to make an extra effort to keep it out of the yard. The dogs get it on them then she pets the dog.

It's definitely a curse if you like the outdoors. I'm sure it can be picked up in the air, but some of the mysterious cases might be from a friend who has tromped through it. I believe some pretty severe cases have also come from burning it on firewood.

burning it can result in you getting it in your lungs and it is bad news then.

I had the same problem when I was a kid too! Once a year for 4 years in a row I got it on every part of my body from my toes to the top of my head. Looked like one giant rash! I couldn't stop scratching.
It doesn't bother me much now though (knock on wood)